Full Steam ahead for Flint at the Junction

In what was probably their most complete performance of the season, Flint came away with a thumping win against bottom side Llandudno.

Before they managed to get into their stride, the Silkmen had an early scare on 2 minutes, when Connor Courtnell was allowed to penetrate the back line, only to be thwarted by Nik Lee-Bulmer who got down quickly to spread himself and block the effort.
Flint then started to get to grips with the bobbly, uneven surface, and enjoyed a long period of possession, in which they created several good chances. Following a long throw by Andy Brown on 11 minutes, Kyle Smyth flicked the ball into the path of Chris Budrys, who was barely 5 yards out from goal. His stooping header, however lacked the sufficient power to beat Keighan Jones in the home side's goal. Next up was Richie Foulkes, who got free at the back post to meet an inswinging corner, but his effort was well saved by Jones. Then, seconds later, Budrys went even closer when he swung at the ball and cracked a fierce drive that bounced back off the cross bar.
It was surely only a matter of time before the home side's goal was breached, and sure enough, on 17 minutes Flint made the breakthrough. a cross field ball was expertly controlled by Budrys, who then swivelled and hit a low shot into the corner of the net from 15 yards, to open his account for the club.
Eight minutes later he turned provider. He bravely went in to challenge Jones for a high ball, and managed to get a vital touch on the ball to send it into the path of Alan Bull, who virtually walked the ball into an empty net.
Joe Palmer then tried his luck from 25 yards, and his effort just cleared the bar.
On 37 minutes, Bulmer had to be alert, as, following a good move by Junction, Leigh Craven found himself in plenty of space in front of goal, as the Flint defence appealed in vain for offside. Bulmer, though once again made himself big, and blocked the close range effort.
Then it was back to the other end of the pitch, as Smyth delivered a far post header in on goal, that Jones just about managed to keep out on his goal line.
It was end to end at this stage, as Connor Tierney set off on a mazy run for Llandudno, and evaded several challenges before getting into the box, and hitting a rising shot that cleared the Flint bar.
Luke Tyson was introduced into the fray on 55 minutes, and immediately made his presence felt, as his pace and trickery caused all sorts of problems for the beleaguered Junction defence.
Flint's third goal arrived on the hour mark. A free kick from the right was sent over by Matty Woodward, and the ball was pinging around inside the 18 yard box before Foulkes headed it down into the path of Smyth who rifled it home into the top of the net from a narrow angle about 12 yards out.
On 76 minutes, Palmer threaded a delightful defence splitting ball into the path of Tyson, who ghosted past his market before calmly side footing past Jones to claim the goal he richly deserved following his introduction to the game.
The scoring was completed on 83 minutes by another Flint substitute. Levi Mackin won possession on the edge of the box, knocked it past the defenders, and then run onto it to poke it past Jones who had raced off his line to try and reach the loose ball first.
Flint successfully picked up where they left off last weekend, and the shape and balance of the side is beginning to look about right, after a few misfires earlier on in the season. Once again the defence kept another clean sheet, the midfield were fluid and broke forward to good effect, and the strikers acquitted themselves extremely well. The gap between ourselves and the top few teams is still somewhat daunting, but if we can continue in this vein, then we should soon see decent progress up the table.